Zuko
"All my life I had to stuggle and strive, but that made me strong. It made me who I am"- Zuko to Aang in the Siege of the North part 2. Zuko was the son of Firelord Ozai and and Princess Ursa. He was also the older brother of Princess Azula. Background From an early age he was rejected by his father but was loved heavily by his mother. at some point in his childhood Piandao trained him in dao dual swords. When Zuko was about 11 years his mother was banished from the Fire Nation for treasonous things she commited to protect him. About 3 years later, Zuko spoke out against his father and was then challenged to an agni -kai. Zuko surrendured and got burned on his left eye. Search For The Avatar He was then banished from the Fire nation until he captured the Avatar. Zuko spent the next 3 years searching all around the world for the Avatar. When him and his Uncle Iroh was declared traitoras to the Fire Nation they disguised themselves to become Earth Kingdom refuegees and which Zuko often struggled with his inner turmoil with good and bad. When Zuko was about to finally give up his search for the Avatar, he was confronted by his sister who eventually persuaded him to join her and betray Iroh.With the alliance he set with his sister, Azula they defeated the Avatar and captured Ba sing Se. He was then reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Mai and became a couple spending many romantic dates together. During a war meeting, Zuko learned of Ozai's plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom using the power of Sozin's Comet. Realizing Ozai's true intentions and that he could never be what his father wanted, Zuko made the decsion to finally join the Avatar and help him defeat his father. Finding Destiny Zuko followed the Avatar and his friends to the Westren Air Temple, after their failed invasion plan. After much practice, Zuko presented himself to the group and aked to join them. As expected, he was greeted with hostil ity from the group to which they would not let him join. However, after helping the group defeat the assassian he once hired, Aang and the rest of the group, was willing to give Zuko a chance. After joining the group, Zuko proved himself by teaching Aang the true meaning of firebending, aswell as helping Sokka free Hakoda and Suki from the Boiling Rock. He also helped Katara confront her mother's killer, which finally gained the waterbender's trust. As Aang Zuko defeat battled Ozai, Zuko fought against Azula in a final agni-kai. After Zuko was immobilzed by Azula's lightening strike at Katara, the waterbender defeated the insane princess and healed the injured prince. After the defeat of Ozai and Azula and Ba Sing Se liberated, Zuko proclaimed himself as the new Firelord and promised a new era of love and peace. He was then reunited with Mai and was later seen in Iroh's tea shop finally at peace. After the War After the war, Zuko made a promise to Aang for him to kill him if he was to become like his father. Aang relunctantly agree d, which put Zuko's mind to ease. Zuko's first year as Firelord proved to be challenging with five assasination attempts on his life which led to stress and lack of sleep. After venturing to Yu Dao concerning the Fire Nation colony and The Harmony Restoration, Zuko decided to keep the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom, instead of dismanteling them. This led to direct problems with the world and especially Aang who wanted the colonies out of Yu Dao. When agreeing to meet with the Avatar and Earth King in Ba Sing Se, Zuko traveled back to the Fire Nation where he was comforted by Mai who told him to tell his problems to her.To ease his nerves, she hired the elite Kyoshi Warriors as his full-round bodyguards. Later the next night, after not being able to go to sleep, Zuko visited his father for advice. Ozai gave Zuko his thoughts on the matter which Zuko thought about. When Zuko came back the next night Ozai told him that right and wrong had no value. Being Fire Lord was always right by definition. Ozai also questioned his loyalty to the Avatar and the intentions of the Earth King. Zuko wouldn't beleive or take in any of what his father was saying, and angrily left. While in the Fire Lord throne room, Zuko was confronted by Mai who told him he had been keeping too many secrets from her. Zuko apologized and told her he loved her but Mai would have none of it. As Mai was departing Zuko cried for her to back but to no avail. Suki later appeared and told him she's the one who told Mai about his secret meetings with Ozai. She also told him that everyone was deeply concerned about him. They were then interupted by General Mak who informed Zuko that the Earth Kingdom were going to attack Yu Dao. Realizing that what his father said was right, Zuko gathered the Fire Nation army and traveled to Yu Dao on ship. While travelling on his ship to Yu Dao, Zuko endured a dream with Aang ultimately fulfilling his promise and ending him. Zuko alertly awakened as he continued to dwell on the colomny issue. When the Fire Nation army finally arrived near the Yu Dao gates, Zuko orderd General How to stop the attacks on Yu Dao, but as expected, the general resisted and the war continued. Aang immediately stepped in on the brawl and attempted to fulfill his promise to Zuko until quicky being interrupted by Katara. Once the Avatar was away meditating on the conflict, the fighting continued with the Earth Kingdom and Freedom Fighters against the Yu Dao citzens, while Zuko and the Fire Nation fought to protect the citizens. The fighting all ceased when Aang went into the Avatar State and earthbent a trench around the city. Zuko slipped and almost fell to his death until he was quickly saved by Aang, who in return told him he was right about the whole conflict. The Earth King also realized that Yu Dao was a multi-cultrual land with both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom families. The two leaders both decided that Yu Dao would be able to stay in the Earth Kingdom. Realizing that he was right all along, Zuko collapsed on the ground due to stress and severe lack of sleep. After getting plenty of rest at his Uncle Iroh's tea shop, Zuko apologized to Aang about the promise they made. The two also talked about the dream they shared and about Zuko's mother who Zuko had seen in the dream. Zuko believed if he could find his mother then he could finally bring peace to himself. Aang promised that he would help him, while Iroh suggested he should take some risks. Zuko did so as he visited his sister Azula, who was imprisoned in an asylum, to help him find his mother. During a Yu Dao cuncil meeting Zuko felt guilty of his treatment of his family as he heard that leadership is a reflection of how one treats his family. He then let his sister Azula visit Ozai to retrieve information from Ozai. Soon after a struggle to reach a fiiting deal, Azula agreed to give him the information as long as she came along. Zuko then enlisted the help of his friends to join them and to keep constant awareness of Azula's antics. He also left his uncle in the position of Fire Lord until his return. After Azula's constant attempts to escape and an encounter with a spirit wolf, the group finally settled near the outskirts of Hira'ra. After an encouraging discussion with Sokka about their sisters Zuko put a blanket over Azula as Sokka had done to Katara. However, he suddenly caught glimpse of a note in Azula's boot pocket. He carefully read it and was shocked as the letter inferred that he was not Ozai's son. Category:Maiko and Friends